Chapter 20: Treasure Hunt (2)

Fortunately, there weren’t any major injuries, and after resting for three days, I fully recovered my stamina.

Since I’m in charge of breaking the ice, the treasure hunt couldn’t begin without me, so the schedule was naturally delayed until I was recovered. However, Elaine told me not to worry since everyone else also needed to replenish their energy.

Grace, who was in charge of searching the lake, had also fought in the battle against the demons, so she too needed to recover her stamina. Especially, Kie, who was at the forefront, had used a lot of energy, so her recovery was essential.

• “If resting quietly feels too much of a burden, I’ll give you a lesson during the break.”

My body was tired, but my mind was clear. So, during the rest, I took the opportunity to learn something from Elaine.

It was about controlling mana.

At this point, I had no choice but to go to Elaine’s tent. Since the other soldiers were resting, we couldn’t have lessons in the same tent without disturbing them.

In reality, Elaine probably had the ulterior motive of giving me a lesson while also letting me rest in a more comfortable place.

…Looking closely, it seems like Elaine does distinguish between work and personal matters, but she’s not completely indifferent, walking a fine line between the two.

The guards also knew that Elaine cared for me, so unlike my worries, no one suspected anything.

“You already know how to manipulate mana, don’t you? How far can you go with it?”

“I can only regulate body temperature or transfer heat to somewhere else.”

“Heat manipulation… That’s quite useful in the North. But you’re neither from a noble family nor a mage family. Where did you acquire such power?”

When Elaine asked, I had no choice but to tell her about the salamander scales.

I explained that I had found them by chance during a mission, and that it was after obtaining them that I was able to awaken my mana and manipulate heat.

“I see… No wonder you didn’t feel cold when I held you, even though we were both naked. I thought it was normal to feel hot when sleeping with a man for the first time.”

Then, she murmured, “Well, even without sleeping, just being close to you felt warm.”

She muttered to herself for a while, seriously considering something, before suddenly looking at me with a curious expression.

“You’re lucky, aren’t you?”

I didn’t have a better explanation, so I simply agreed.

“By the way, what exactly are these salamander scales? Are they a tool?”

“No, they absorbed into my skin and disappeared.”

“So they’re a bound artifact. I understand.”

After that, Elaine asked a few more questions, mainly about my current mana proficiency, and I answered them without difficulty.

As a modern person, how could I have easily learned to manipulate mana? It wasn’t without a lot of effort and hardship… though not exactly.

As Elaine said, I might be lucky. Originally, the artifact was meant for Aran, who could use mana, but the effect

wasn’t mentioned in the novel. However, when I obtained the salamander scales, surprisingly, I could feel mana

within me.

Since the scales absorbed into my skin, it felt like I was sensing the mana flowing through my body, just like how you

feel sensations through your skin.

Moreover, humans can’t control the flow of blood in their veins, but for some reason, mana works differently in this

world’s fantasy genetics, and it was possible to control.

Of course, it required plenty of practice here.

Mana control was a bit like trying to drive a bus in the middle of a busy city, tricky, but not entirely unfamiliar.

“So, you can’t release mana or feel it, can you?”

“No, I can’t do that.”

“Hmm, that’s an unusual order.”

According to Elaine, the usual process for mana training is to:

1. Perceive mana
2. Store mana
3. Handle internal mana
4. Release mana externally

It sounded a bit like martial arts novels.

If you think about it, martial arts could be considered Eastern fantasy, and fantasy could be Western martial arts.

Mana and internal energy are pretty much the same.

Anyway, I had skipped some steps and accumulated mana in my body. I could handle it, but I couldn’t feel it or release it.

“If you release mana, could you breathe fire from your body?”

“It’s possible.”

“Oh.”

Would I be able to create fire by snapping my fingers or maybe breathe it out like a dragon? It was definitely a man’s dream.

“Releasing mana is difficult. The sword energy that knights use is a type of mana release. As for releasing elemental mana… I’m not sure myself.”

Elaine cut off my question, saying that such things should be learned from a magician, and returned to the original lesson.

“What you need is to sense mana and increase the amount of mana in your body.”

“Is it something like mana breathing?”

“Mana breathing?”

“I’ve heard rumors about a method to absorb mana from the air through breathing.”

“Absorbing mana through breathing… Well, it’s not completely wrong. When you consume mana, your body absorbs

the surrounding mana to replenish it. However, absorbing mana through breathing is a method used by monsters,

and increasing the total amount of mana in your body requires another approach.”

So, it seems like fantasy and martial arts are different genres after all.

“There are two ways for humans to increase their mana. One is by using potions, and the other is by constantly using

mana to familiarize your body with it, thus expanding the vessel that holds it. The latter is more of a long-term

process, unless you’re particularly gifted, and that’s a rare case.”

The former involves using items to increase abilities instantly, while the latter is like building muscle through

consistent training. Simply put, it’s like a roider versus a natural athlete.

However, I was also tempted by the potions, and since I had already begun my journey into mana through the cheat

code of Salamander scales, I decided to compare it to taking supplements instead of steroids.

“I understand the importance of increasing mana, but what’s the benefit of sensing mana?”

“It helps greatly with sharpening your senses. For example…”

Elaine suddenly threw a punch.

Her fist was aimed directly at my face.

I tried to dodge, but my reaction was slow, and it seemed like I was about to get hit square in the nose.

Then, the punch stopped just before my face, and I was so surprised I involuntarily hiccupped.

“Before I threw that punch, I gathered mana in my arm. Didn’t you notice?”

“….”

“If you had been able to sense the mana gathering in my arm, you could’ve dodged or reacted earlier.”

“What if the opponent attacks without mana?”

“In that case, wouldn’t you just use mana first?”

“Aha.”

I couldn’t help but admire Elaine’s explanation. Just like during the special lesson on the Seolhan sword, her

teaching style was straightforward and easy to understand. Her practical, no-nonsense approach really showed.

“Alright, now that I’ve explained it, let’s begin the practice. I’ll teach you how to sense mana, so listen carefully and

try it yourself.”

“Yes!”

“Before we start, take off your clothes.”

“Pardon?”

I asked, thinking I’d heard something completely out of place.

“You’re in charge of melting the ice in the lake. To do that, you need more mana and skill than you currently have.

So, while practicing mana sensing, you’ll also train to increase your mana reserves.”

“Could you explain that a little more clearly?”

Her instructions were simple, but it was still hard to understand, so I asked for a more detailed explanation.

“You said your specialty is heat manipulation, right? Heat manipulation is a useful ability in daily life, so the training

method is easy. From now on, wear lighter clothing, but if you feel cold, use heat to warm up. Don’t worry, you only

need to take off your top.”

Ah, so to increase my mana, I needed to continuously use it, making my body accustomed to mana. That meant I’d

be circulating mana through my body using heat manipulation.

I had almost forgotten that Elaine was not only a top-tier instructor but also very Spartan in her methods.

“Does that mean I’m supposed to stay half-naked the whole lesson?”

“That’s right. Even outside of class, heat manipulation should be practiced as a basic skill.”

“If I take off my clothes and stay here alone, won’t it be awkward?”

“Don’t worry. The Duke has allowed me to take care of your training, so he won’t mind.”

“…”

“If you’re worried about me getting distracted by your body, don’t. I’m on a mission now, so I’m not thinking about those things.”

With that, Elaine stared at me, as if urging me to get undressed.

At this point, I was starting to wonder if she really understood the difference between work and personal matters.

This felt like an abuse of power.

But what could I do? I obeyed and stripped down, then used heat manipulation to warm up my body.

Thanks to the heat, I wasn’t as cold even though I had taken off my clothes.

“Wait!”

“Yes?”

“I didn’t say to take everything off. Keep your underwear on!”

“Ah…”

I had been so used to seeing the muscular training methods of those around me that I almost forgot to leave my

underwear on. Elaine, covering her eyes with her palm and turning her head away, seemed like a shy maiden despite

everything.

Last time, she had kissed me and even rubbed her bare chest on me. I’d thought nothing of it then, since I had often

seen men training shirtless, but now I was confused.

“I learned that this is how the 3rd Squad trains to build endurance.”

“Be quiet and put on your clothes!”

“The 3rd Squad trains like this all the time.”

“If you keep talking, I’ll report you for indecent exposure!”

Ah, so she was struggling against her instincts, even if she tried to act nonchalant.

Anyway, once I put on my underwear, we began the mana training.

As expected, it was tough. My body wasn’t too fatigued, but my mind was. I had learned about mana sensing, but I

still couldn’t fully grasp it. It felt like trying to sense the humidity in the air with just my instincts—something that

would take more practice.

On the other hand, heat manipulation was surprisingly easy. Having practiced applying heat to daggers before, I was

already accustomed to it. Since I was shirtless, I had to stay alert, or I’d feel cold, which helped me focus.

After three days of intense training with Elaine, we arrived at the crystal lake, where Grace and the others were waiting for me.

Grace, dressed more lightly than usual, looked ready for action, possibly to enter the water.

“I’m late, my apologies.”

“No, I arrived early. I needed to check the operation. Have you made progress with Elaine’s teachings?”

“Yes, I’ll show you.”

Grace smiled in satisfaction and gave orders to the group.

“We’ll now investigate the unknown power covering the crystal lake! There may be monsters drawn to mana, so

everyone, stay alert! Gunther will be in charge!”

“All clear.”

“Luke, Elaine, break the ice, and the four exploration team members will enter the water to explore below the lake!”

As the captain of the guard, I would’ve liked to join Grace, but since I couldn’t swim, I was assigned to break the ice with Elaine.

It seemed that Grace and Ki alone weren’t enough, so four more knights who could swim and were well-built were added to the team.

With this, the probability of finding Bingjeong had increased even further.

“Let’s begin!”

The Duke of the North declared the start of the lake search, and the soldiers stationed at the perimeter moved to

their assigned areas.

Since I was in charge of starting this side, I drew a dagger from my waist.

Rather than constantly calling it the “one-time obsidian dagger,” I decided to give it a name. After pondering for a

while, I simply called it “Heukyo.”

Unfortunately, I had no talent for naming things, but I had a strategic calculation that calling it “Heukyo” would

reduce the chance that others would associate it with a one-time use.

I swung Heukyo and used the heat manipulation technique I had been practicing to turn the blade’s edge a deep red.

“Captain, please!”

At my signal, Elaine swung her sword towards the icy floor.

The Frozen Blade might not have the destructive power of the Lion’s Sword, but the sharpness of its high-speed

swordsmanship was even greater.

Elaine’s sword scratched the surface of the ice.

Where the blade passed, deep scars appeared.

Craack!

Before the scars could heal, I drove the heated Heukyo into them.

Chiiiing.

The sound of ice crackling on an induction cooktop echoed.

“Whoa.”

Honestly, who among the people here trusted a mere squad member?

They were all watching with a mixture of curiosity and expectation.

But as the ice around the dagger began to melt slowly, gasps of amazement began to echo one by one.

Only Elaine remained calm, watching without reacting.

Before long, the area where Heukyo had been embedded had completely melted, leaving a hole that could not be repaired due to the intense heat.

However, the hole was only large enough to catch a mountain trout.

So, I proceeded to the next phase.

‘I’ll use the Frozen Blade like this!’

Just like when I had sliced the Wolf Fang with a heated sword, I cut through the ice with the heated Heukyo.

At my signal, Elaine nodded and raised her sword.

Frozen Blade, Sleet.

With incredible speed, Elaine scraped the ice, leaving a trail of marks behind.

Sleet was an advanced technique among the Frozen Blade skills. I couldn’t use it yet, but…

‘Just like how honeycomb bacon cooks more evenly than regular bacon!’

Frozen Blade, Snowstorm.

Elaine swung her sword with all her might towards the direction she had scratched, slashing through the weakened and cracked ice.

Crash!

The impact resonated, and now the hole was big enough to catch a killer whale, not just a mountain trout.

“There’s no time to marvel! If you’ve cast your protective magic, dive in immediately!”

At Grace’s command, the diving team immediately jumped into the hole.

“Good job.”

The third squad leader, Ki, gave me a light pat on the shoulder before following the team into the water.

“Phew.”

Having completed my part, I let out a deep sigh and began recharging my magic into Heukyo.

The treasure hunt was just beginning.